Orange Beach race benefits children of those who have fallen in the line of duty (photos)

Hundreds of people came out for the inaugural Beach Run for America's Warriors Half Marathon and 5K on Saturday, March 15, 2014. (Brian Kelly/bkelly@al.com)

ORANGE BEACH, Alabama -- Jason Eversole began Saturday's half marathon on the beach with his running shoes on, but ended the race sans his footwear. Even without shoes the 25-year-old Crestview, Fla. man managed to take first place in the 13-mile race in just under two hours on the beach behind the Flora-Bama, the location for the inaugural Beach Run for America's Warriors Half Marathon and 5K.

The event benefits the Special Operations Warrior Foundation, the nonprofit organization established in 1980 to provide college scholarships to the surviving children of Special Operations personnel killed in action.

Prior to the race, Flora-Bama co-owner, event organizer and Army veteran Cam Price addressed the participants beneath the tent stage. Price choked back tears when he spoke of his former company commander, Army Captain Michael Yury Tarlavsky, who was killed in the line of duty in August of 2004.

About 75 people participated in the half marathon, and some 100 people registered for the 5K fun run. The half marathon began on the Orange Beach side, then runners headed about six miles east into Gulf Islands National Seashore and back, a total of 13 miles. The 5K runners began in Orange Beach, headed west to Perdido Pass and back.

Back on the beach, body builder Courtney Reeves of Mobile came out for the cause. "I came all the way from Mobile this morning to be part of this race on the beach," Reeves said. She was registered for the 5K run, which started at 9:30 a.m. "I hope to finish in under thirty minutes."

Elizabeth Boon of Mobile came dressed in St. Patrick's Day themed socks pulled up to her knees. "You know, we came out because it was something to do this spring break," Boon said. "We've done all the races in downtown Mobile, so we wanted to come out and race on the beach for this good cause."

The first woman to cross the finish line in the half marathon was Leanne Bugg of Auburn, Ala. "My husband and I were already staying down here in a condominium near the beach so we decided to come out and give it a go. Very happy to have won for the women," Bugg said.

As for Eversole, he lost his shoes in the water somewhere. "I think I lost them somewhere the third mile in. They were filled with sand and water, so I just stepped out of them," he said after the race. "I went barefoot the rest of the way. It was tough running in the deeper sand."